HBO Renews The Last of Us for Season 2

It didn't take long for HBO to give fans of The Last of Us what they want — the apocalyptic drama is officially getting a second season. This comes as no surprise after HBO announced that The Last of Us is the network's second-largest debut after House of the Dragon, with the first episode drawing more than 22 million views in the U.S. alone. Still, the renewal comes early in the season, just before the third episode airs Sunday, January 29.

“I’m humbled, honored, and frankly overwhelmed that so many people have tuned in and connected with our retelling of Joel and Ellie’s journey. The collaboration with Craig Mazin, our incredible cast & crew, and HBO exceeded my already high expectations,” said co-creator Neil Druckmann. “Now we have the absolute pleasure of being able to do it again with season two! On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog & PlayStation, thank you!”

The Last of Us follows the journey of Joel (Pedro Pascal) as he works to protect Ellie (Bella Ramsey), the only person in a post-apocalyptic world to be immune to an evil fungus that's take over. The series is based on the action-adventure video game of the same name, and thus far has proven to be a faithful adaptation of the gameplay. 

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Druckmann and co-creator Mazin hint that the second season would follow the video game The Last of Us Part II, and that they would be against a "spinning-plates-go-on-forever show.” As of now, video game company Naughty Dog is unsure whether or not there's more story to tell in a The Last of Us Part III. So enjoy the show while it lasts — Season 2 may be the last we see of Joel and Ellie. 

The Last of Us airs Sundays at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max. Join the discussion about the show in our forums. 

Brianna Wellen is a TV Reporter at Primetimer who became obsessed with television when her parents let her stay up late to watch E.R.